Scientists may still be debating whether dogs truly make facial expressions — but anyone who’s seen Maui the Golden Retriever knows the answer. A short Instagram video of this expressive pup has convinced thousands of viewers that emojis might just have been inspired by dogs.
Meet Maui, the Dog of a Thousand Faces
In the clip, Maui’s owner playfully starts with text across the screen: “Dogs don’t really have facial expressions.” A few seconds later, Maui proves otherwise by cycling through a lineup of looks that could rival any emoji keyboard.
First comes the classic “annoyed face,” with a scrunched-up look that screams frustration. Then, while sitting sweetly on the couch, Maui softens into big puppy eyes — the kind of stare that melts hearts instantly.
The show doesn’t stop there. Maui sticks his tongue out to the side, giving off the perfect goofy “zany face.” He rolls his eyes while lounging on the bed, looking like a teenager in the middle of a dramatic tantrum. And when a tasty snack appears off-camera, Maui delivers a spot-on impression of the drooling emoji.
By the end, he even mixes in a tongue-out smile and a dramatic grimace, proving he’s got more range than most actors.
Fans Can’t Stop Laughing
Viewers were just as entertained as Maui himself:
- One person wrote, “They totally do. Mainly puppy eyes here.”
- Another joked, “Emojis were created by your face.”
- And plenty of people cracked up at the drooling scene. One fan said, “Maui literally drooling all over got me,” while another shared, “My dog acts spicy all the time too.”
No matter which look he’s pulling, Maui has made it clear — dogs do have facial expressions, and his are more relatable than most.
